All posts containing the tag: "NFL"
Posted Nov 19th 2009 1:10PM by TMZ Staff
Jacksonville Jaguars legend Jimmy Smith pled guilty to possession of cocaine yesterday ... and was sentenced to spend the next six months in residential lockdown.
The former NFL star was arrested in Florida back in April, when cops pulled him over for having excessive window tinting ... then found coke, pot and drug paraphernalia in his car.
The other three charges Smith was facing -- possession of marijuana, using or possessing drug paraphernalia, and operating a vehicle with a suspended license -- will all be dropped as long as he plays by the rules.
Smith was also sentenced to 18 months probation, his license was revoked until his probationary period is over, he has to pay $1,000 in fines and complete weekly counseling and random drug screenings during his six months under house arrest.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Tags: busted, jacksonville jaguars, JacksonvilleJaguars, jimmy smith, JimmySmith, mug shot, MugShot, nfl, sports stars, SportsStars
Posted Nov 17th 2009 9:00AM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE: LJ has reportedly signed with the Bengals.
Homophobic slur-hurling running back Larry Johnson is expected to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals any minute now -- but a local gay rights group is already considering the move a "slap in the face."
TMZ spoke with Lesley Jones, executive director of Equality Cincinnati, who tells us "We do not think that would be a favorable decision on the part of the Bengals.
We would see this as a slap in the face to all the work we've done for equality and LBGT (lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender) rights in Cincinnati."
[The Bengals] must take action to prove that they support equality and LBGT rights in the city."
Johnson was recently cut by the Kansas City Chiefs after making a flurry of controversial statements -- including dropping the f-bomb twice in a 24 hour period.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: cincinnati, cincinnati bengals, CincinnatiBengals, equality, gay rights, GayRights, kansas city, KansasCity, kc chiefs, KcChiefs, larry johnson, LarryJohnson, nfl, running back, RunningBack
Posted Nov 9th 2009 9:20AM by TMZ Staff
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially kicked Larry Johnson to the curb -- cutting the running back from the NFL team in the wake of his gay slur scandal.
Johnson was just 75 yards away from becoming the team's all-time leading rusher when he was suspended last month, and now it seems he'll remain number two.
The move to chop Johnson gives Chiefs fans one thing to cheer about this season -- in the last few days, tons of KC fans signed a petition to get rid of the running back.
Johnson had used the homophobic f-word in verbal attacks twice in two days -- he also publicly ripped the team's coach.
He also sucks now ... so the team should be better off without him anyway.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Tags: attack, cut, fired, football, gay slur, GaySlur, homophobic, kansas city chiefs, KansasCityChiefs, larry johnson, LarryJohnson, nfl, released, running back, RunningBack
Posted Nov 9th 2009 9:15AM by TMZ Staff
Lawrence Taylor has a storied history of substance abuse, but Miami cops tell TMZ the NFL legend looked completely sober when he was arrested late last night.
Cops say despite his bloodshot eyes in the mugshot, Taylor -- who's been arrested twice on drug-related charges in the past -- was so coherent when he was arrested for hit-and-run last night , that officers didn't feel the need to perform a sobriety test.
As TMZ first reported, Taylor was busted after cops say he left the scene of a car accident. Cops believe Taylor hit another car and then a guard rail ... and then drove away from the scene.
We're told no one was injured.
Cops tell us when they found Taylor, he was standing outside of his car -- which was missing a front tire. The tire was found at the scene of the crash .. which means Taylor may have driven several miles on just the axle.
We're told Taylor was very cooperative when he was arrested -- he was eventually released on $500 bond.
UPDATE: We've learned Taylor was driving a white Cadillac Escalade and the vehicle he hit was a 1984 Ford van. Cops also tell us Taylor was arrested two miles from the crash scene ... where his front right tire was knocked off his car.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: arrest, football, lawrence taylor, LawrenceTaylor, linebacker, miami, new york giant, NewYorkGiant, nfl, sober
Posted Nov 9th 2009 8:00AM by TMZ Staff
He was one of the fastest linebackers of all time ... but NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was arrested Sunday night after cops say he booked it from the scene of an accident.
Taylor, who recently competed on "Dancing with the Stars," was arrested in Dade County, Florida at 9:57 PM for "leaving scene of an accident/property damage."
Taylor was brought to a local police station, where he was booked, smiled for a mug shot, and was eventually released on $500 bond.
According to the booking sheet, Taylor -- who is a spokesman for Nutrisystem -- was listed at 253 pounds.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, football, hit and run, HitAndRun, lawrence taylor, LawrenceTaylor, nfl, ny giants, NyGiants
Posted Nov 3rd 2009 12:52AM by TMZ Staff
NFL on CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz made one really bad call -- with a 29-year-old woman -- and it set a divorce in play that will cost him nearly a million bucks a year for the rest of his life.
A Connecticut judge ordered the famous announcer to pay his ex-wife $864,000 a year in alimony -- and the only way out is death ... or if his ex-wife remarries.
The judge's decision comes in light of Nantz's admission that he began dating a 29-year-old woman before he ended his 26 year marriage. Smooth...
Nantz also has to pay $1,000 a week in child support for their 15-year-old daughter for the next two years.
Jim's wife also gets the couple's Westport mansion -- no word if he gets to keep the couch he's probably been sleeping on.
Ultimately, the judge made Jim pay so much because he's loaded.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Dirty Divorces
Tags: cbs, divorce, jim nantz, JimNantz, nfl, sportscaster
Posted Oct 26th 2009 5:28PM by TMZ Staff
Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is in hot water with GLAAD -- after the former NFL Pro-Bowler reportedly dropped the homophobic f-bomb twice in the last 24 hours.
President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Jarrett Barrio is calling for the NFL to take action against Johnson, saying "All too often this is the word that is used to ridicule and harass young gay and transgender athletes on local sports fields across America.
Professional athletes who use this word need to be held accountable for feeding a climate of intolerance toward our community. NFL officials need to take action and condemn this and future uses of this anti-gay epithet."
Earlier today, it was reported Johnson hurled the slur at a group of reporters after he had already used the same f-word to attack someone on Twitter.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: gay bashing, GayBashing, glaad, homophobic, kansas city chiefs, KansasCityChiefs, larry johnson, LarryJohnson, nfl, slur, statement
Posted Oct 24th 2009 9:45AM by TMZ Staff
It appears Dr. Dre isn't exactly a "Dittohead" -- 'cause when we asked the rap icon how he felt about the drama between Rush and the NFL, Dre had four simple words: "Man ... f**k Rush Limbaugh."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Tags: dr. dre, Dr.Dre, nfl, rush limbaugh, RushLimbaugh, st. louis rams, St.LouisRams
Posted Oct 15th 2009 6:20PM by TMZ Staff
After several traumatic days away from home ... the missing Thurman Thomas statue finally returned to Buffalo today -- where he was greeted by his flesh-and-bones counterpart.
The woman who sculpted the statue of the NFL legend went all the way to Canada to pick up Wooden Thurman from a guy who claims he rescued the 1000-pound beast from pyro-maniacal vandals last weekend.
But the statue won't return to its perch outside Buffalo Bills stadium -- too dangerous. But its new home won't be too far away ... Thurman Thomas plans on keeping it at his official training center.
Finally, a victory in Buffalo...
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: football, nfl, photo, picture, pine, statue, thurman thomas, ThurmanThomas
Posted Oct 14th 2009 7:05PM by TMZ Staff
Once again, Rush Limbaugh's been pushed away from the NFL -- the talk-show host has been officially dropped by a group looking to buy the St. Louis Rams.
A rep from the group claimed Rush got the boot because his participation complicated the effort.
Ever since word got out that the conservative mouthpiece was interested in the team, several people lashed out against it -- including the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, the head of the NFL Player's Association and even Al Sharpton.
It might be the best thing that happened to Rush -- the Rams haven't won a single game this season.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Tags: nf, nfl, rush limbaugh, RushLimbaugh, st. louis rams, St.LouisRams
Posted Oct 13th 2009 4:45PM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE: TMZ just received the following statement from Thurman Thomas -- the real Thurman Thomas, not the wooden statue version:
"I'm grateful for Orchard Park Police Dept for finding my carving, and I'm glad no Cleveland Browns fans took it and burned it."
A 1000 pound wooden statue of legendary NFL star Thurman Thomas has just been found -- one day after it was reportedly stolen from its perch outside of the Buffalo Bills stadium.
The story is insane -- police in Orchard Park, NY tell TMZ a Canadian dude has fessed up to taking the statue ... but says he only took it to save the 8 1/2-foot carving from grave danger.
Cops say the Canadian claims he saw a bunch of hooligans trying to light the giant pine statue on fire -- so he loaded wooden Thurman onto the back of a pick-up truck so he could drive it to safety.
BTW -- the statue had only been unveiled on Sunday.
Now, we're told the Canadian has contacted the owner of the statue to arrange the carving's safe return.
No word if the Thurman Thomas statue was able to locate its helmet in the melee.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: bills, buffalo biklls, buffalo bills, BuffaloBiklls, BuffaloBills, nfl, statue, thurman thomas, ThurmanThomas
Posted Oct 12th 2009 9:00AM by TMZ Staff
Al Sharpton is playing some serious defense for the St. Louis Rams -- The Rev has launched an all-out blitz to keep Rush Limbaugh from buying the NFL franchise.
In the wake of several reports that Limbaugh is serious about becoming an NFL owner, Sharpton fired off a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, begging the football honcho to reject Rush from the league.
In the letter, Sharpton tells Goodell, "Rush Limbaugh has been divisive and anti-NFL on several occasions with comments about NFL Players including Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb."
In 2003, Limbaugh famously argued that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was getting special treatment in the press because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.
But in his letter, Sharpton brought up another Rush-centric controversy, adding that Rush's "recent statement that the NFL was beginning to look like a fight between the Crips and the Bloods without the weapons, was disturbing."
Sharpton's letter comes in the wake of public opposition from the head of the NFL Players Association, who also asked Goodell to reject Rush from the league.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Tags: al sharpton, AlSharpton, nfl, rush limbaugh, RushLimbaugh
Posted Sep 22nd 2009 9:32AM by TMZ Staff
Former NY Giants star Plaxico Burress was just sentenced to two years in federal prison for criminal possession of a weapon.
Burress -- who was surrounded by his wife, son and father -- was immediately taken into custody following the hearing which happened just moments ago in New York.
Right after Plax heard his sentence, the 32-year-old NFL star hugged his wife and cradled his son. It was during this emotional moment that Plax began to tear up. The other members of Plaxico's family also began to cry in the courtroom.
Moments later, Plaxico stood up and made a statement in front of the judge saying, "I apologize to my family ... I thank everyone for their support."
Plaxico then walked from the courtroom into a holding area. He was never placed in handcuffs while inside the courtroom.
Plax accidentally shot himself in the leg in a NYC nightclub back in November 2008.
The gun was unlicensed and no one initially called police.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports, Plaxico Burress
Tags: federal prison, FederalPrison, gun possession, GunPossession, NFL, ny giants, nyc, NyGiants, plaxico burress, PlaxicoBurress, sentenced
Posted Sep 9th 2009 1:15AM by TMZ Staff
Shawne Merriman's ex girlfriend Gloria Velez doesn't believe he choked Tila Tequila this weekend -- because Gloria says the San Diego Charger never laid a hand on her during their four years together.
Gloria tells us Shawne "Never ever put his hands on me. Ever." Adding it's "out of his character" to violently lash out on a woman.
So far, no charges have been filed against Merriman.
Filed under: Celebrity Feuds, Talk Sports, Exclusives, Tila Tequila
Tags: gloria velez, GloriaVelez, nfl, shawne merriman, ShawneMerriman, tila tequila, TilaTequila
Posted Aug 23rd 2009 8:00AM by TMZ Staff
Retired NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson has caught passes for the Jets, Buccaneers, Cowboys and Panthers ... but now he's been accused of dropping the ball on more than $1 million in payments to a construction company that worked on his house.
Gordon S. Gibson, Inc. has just filed a lien on Keyshawn's Calabasas, CA home, claiming the ESPN broadcaster owes them $1,115,500 for "supervision and construction of the Johnson residence."
According to the docs, Johnson's tab is getting bigger by the minute -- gaining 10% annual interest since January 14.
FYI -- In 2000, Keyshawn signed a $56 million contract with the Bucs.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Exclusives
Tags: football, keyshawn johnson, KeyshawnJohnson, lawsuit, NFL
